No. 3.] NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 185 



researches as a scientific and practical botanist. He devoted his 

 time to the field, the forest and the glen, and enriched his own 

 extensive collections by valuable additions from the herbaria of 

 the United States botanists with whom he became acquainted. 

 His labors, however, were not confined simply to the formation 

 of an herbarium. He rendered his researches of great value by 

 introducing into the garden many beautiful herbs and shrubs 

 whose cultivation has since been greatly extended. Having thus 

 labored assiduously for a period of twelve years, during which 

 time he discovered many new and rare plants, and ascertained 

 the soil, situation and range of country in which each species 

 was found, he proceeded to England, with the intention of pub- 

 lishing his researches. The materials he now possessed, together 

 with the information obtained from collections which he consulted 

 in England formed the basis of his '• Flora Americm Septen- 

 frionalis,'^ in two volumes — a work which immediately gave him 

 a high position among men of science, and secured to his name 

 an authority on American botany that will be always recognized. 



The success of the publication and the interest excited by his 

 discoveries induced him, under favorable auspices, to further 

 prosecute his researches in the Canadas — a country then present- 

 ing a wide field for original botanical investio-ations. He accord- 

 ingly arrived in the Lower Province, with the view of forming a 

 complete herbarium of Canadian plants — of ascertaining the 

 natural resources of the soil, and improving the system of hor- 

 ticulture. His labors, however, were not of long duration and 

 not without many drawbacks. After having botanized a large 

 portion of Eastern Canada, and made a considerable collection 

 of plants (which were subsequently destroyed by fire), he died 

 in Montreal in July, 1820 — so destitute of means that the ex- 

 pense of his burial and other outlays were defrayed by his 

 friends. 



Pursh possessed a happy teuqjerament, a kind and generous 

 disposition, and was a universal favorite among gardeners, whose 

 interests he served by every means in his power. The remains 

 when disinterred were identified by the following inscription, 

 which was clearly preserved on the plate attached to the coffin : 



FPwEDERICK PURSH, 

 Died nth July, 1820. 



AGKI) 46 YEARS. 



